Wood seller and miser
In the reign of caliph Harun -ar Rashid there lived a clever barber in Baghdad. He was a high class barber and had many wealthy men and courtiers among his customers. One day a poor wood seller brought him a load of fuel wood. He offered him a Dinar for the wood, the woodseller demanded three. |
| woodseller and miser |
After a long haggling the barber said, “Here are two dinars for all the wood you have on your donkey’s back. Take it or leave it, my dear man. I can’t pay more." The woodseller agreed.The barber asked his servant to unload the wood and also the Wooden saddle.
The woodseller protested and said that the saddle was no part of the fuel wood.
But the barber replied, “Old man I have paid for all the wood on the donkey’s back. The saddle is made of wood and it is there on the donkey's back.” So saying, he seized the saddle and ordered his servants to throw the wood seller in the street. The woodseller went to the Caliph.
The caliph could not help him, because the terms of the bargain favoured the barber. But he did offer the poor man a piece of good advice. The next day, the woodseller went to the barber’s shop and asked him to shave him and his friend. He offered to pay two dinars for it. The barber shaved the woodseller and then told him to bring his friend.
The woodseller went out and brought his donkey. The barber flew into a rage. “How dare you play a silly joke on me ? I, the barber to the King’s courtiers, shave your donkey! Get out of here, before 1 break your skull,” he said. The woodseller went to the Caliph once again.
The Caliph called the barber before him. After listening to the statements of the parties, the Caliph pronounced: “The woodseller is in the right. If the saddle of a donkey can be a part of the fuel wood, the donkey can very well be a man’s companion and friend.” Then he ordered the barber to shave the donkey in the presence of all the courtiers. The barber had to do this while the people laughed at him.
1-Caliph'es justice,
2-Tit for Tat
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